RTCG, the Montenegrin national broadcaster, have revealed there are ongoing discussions surrounding the possible disqualification of their representative, NeonoeN.

From their side of events, NeonoeN were unaware of the exact rules surrounding the song that they had entered. NeonoeN had the following to say:

“We were not aware that performing the song publicly before September 1, 2024 was against the rules of the competition. We believed that the essential condition was that the song be unpublished. We will respect any decision of the organisers and the EBU.”

RTCG and UEUI who organised Montesong 2024, had the following to say:

“We want the festival to remain a symbol of transparency and quality, in accordance with the Eurovision rules. All decisions will be made in cooperation with the European Broadcasting Union, in order to ensure fair treatment for all participants. We also want to emphasise that there will be no hasty decisions, which is why it is important for everyone to show patience and understanding at this time.”

The EBU, the European Broadcasting Union, have very clear rules. The rule surrounding new & original works, reads as follows:

“In case the song submitted has been made available to the public, for example, but not limited to, on online video platforms, social networks or (semi-) publicly accessible databanks and/or performed publicly, for example but not limited to during concerts, prior to the Release Date the Participating Broadcaster must inform the ESC Executive Supervisor, who shall have authority to evaluate whether the song remains eligible for participation in the Contest.

In particular, the ESC Executive Supervisor shall assess whether such disclosure prior to the Release Date is likely to give to the song an advantage in the Contest vis-à-vis the other participating songs. The ESC Executive Supervisor shall have authority to authorise or deny participation of a song which may have been available to the public as described above. The ESC Executive Supervisor shall consult the Reference Group in case of doubt.”

Let us know what you think about Montenegro and the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest – either in the comments below or on our FACEBOOK, BLUESKY, TWITTER, YOUTUBE, INSTAGRAM and TIKTOK pages.

The Eurovision Community, which Eurovision Ireland are a part of, celebrates diversity through music. Please keep your comments respectful. We will not tolerate racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, body-shaming or any other derogatory or hostile language.

Author: Richard Taylor

Source: Eurovoix